Monotrack trolley plane



E. H. PALMER. MONOTRACKTROLLEY PLANE. I APPLIQATION FILED FEB. 14. 1921.

1,41 5, 190, Patented May 9, 1922.

. v 2 SHEETS-SHEET I- I 6030mm auwwtoz E. H. PALMER.

MONOTRACK TROLLEY PLANE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. 1921.

1,41 5, 1 90. Patented May 9, 1922 .v

2 SHEETSSHEET Z.

Q J I Zlwuewtoz W um hurrah. srarss earner @FEEQEQ ELIAS HARR EALMER, or CHARLESTON, soU'rn oAnoLrNn.

MONOTRACK TROLLEY JPIJAN E.

Application filed February 14,1921; Serial No; 444,930.

machine combining the advantages of a track and trolley vehicle with those of aeroplane navigation, and at the same/time eliminating the disadvantagesof the one and the hazards of the other. r

A further object resides in constructing a machine with an aerial propellor drive and using an electric motor as thus lessening the cost of constructionand maintenance and increasing the load carrying and travelling capacities of the machine.

Another objectlies in providing a track upon a set course of travel and so constructing the machine that at low speeds it will travel upon said. track whereas when higher speeds are attained planes embodied in the machine will support the weight and the machine will travel at an raised from the track.

With these and other objects in view, which will be apparent-from the drawings, specification and claims, this invention in-' cludes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will now be set forth. 1

In the drawings:

one adaptation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in the track shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the body of the machine.

Fin: 1 is a transverse sectional. view through the track and a portion of'the body to bettershow the trolley,

Fig. 5 is a perspect ve view brake structure by which movement of the car along the track is controlled and stopped.

The track 1 is supported upon. the; ground or is elevated on pillars or posts2, to any 4 desired height above the ground. Ifhe track slot. I

the power unit with current supplied from a ,dlstant source,

elevation slightly Figure 1 is a View 1n elevation showing,

front elevation with illustrating the v 1 consists of spaced side bars 3 and 4% held in position by cross bars 5 and having plates 6 and 7 secured on their upper edges to overhang inwardly and leave a narrow trolley Wires 8 and 9 faces of side bars 3 and 1, and these wires are connected with a suitable generator 10, or to receive electric current from any other desired source, the wires 8 and9 being left asunconnected leads extending throughout the length of the track 1.

. The car of the machine consists of a body 11 which is provided with a longitudinal central groove or channel 12 to fit over the track "1, the body overhanging at each side are mounted on the inner Specification of Letters latent. Patented Eigty 9, 1%22,

and being made to a sufliciently close fit to holdagainst lateral displacement and to give side support. The body is balanced upon the track and is supported to travel thereon by wheels 18 and 14: which ride upon the side bars 3' and 4. i If desired'th ese wheels may be provided with ball bearings and rubber tires, or they can be constructedin any other way to add to-the smoothness of operation of the car; 1

Thebody 11 is given a streamline shape much after the design of an aeroplane fuselage, and has a seat 15 at the forward end for the operator. This body may be enclosed or open and can be divided off to give seating capacity or to provide freight compartments. One or more planes 16 are provided extending laterallyfrom the body after the manner of an aeroplane and it may be de sirable to provide a tail structure at 17 similarto the tail structure of aeroplanes At. the .forward endof thebody an electricl motor 18 is mounted by "hearing trun- ,n1ons 1-9 with its shaft disposed-horizontally,

a rack 20 and a worm 21 turned by a hand wheel 22 within reach of the operators seat 15, being provided to. shift the motor to elevate and lower the forward end of the motor shaft. A propellor 23 is mounted on the manipulation of hand wheel A hearing sleeve 2l-is mounted centrally within the body 11 and a trolley housing 25 forward end of the motor shaft, and will be 1 raised and lowered as the motor is rocked by is slidable therethrough, the arrangement of these parts beingbest shown in Fig. 4:- The trolley housing extends through the trolley slots of the track 1 and has contact shoes 26 and 27, carried at itslower end in slidin'g fcontact with. wires and'9'. Rollers ally manipulated to 28 and 29 are provided on the trolley housing to travel against the under sides of the overhanging portions of plates -6 and 7. The

circuit wires 30 and 31 connected with shoes 26 and 27 are led to the motor 18, a switch 32-being provided for control of this circuit; The housing 25 is slidable through bearing sleeve 24and a'spring33 isprovided to hold the trolley housing in the proper elevation. Y

I To control the speed of travel and to stop movement of the car along the track a brake structure such as shown in Fig. 5 maybe I used. In this adaptation the shafts 34 are mounted through the bottom of the body on opposite sides of the track and have brake shoes 35 on their lower ends, springs 36 being provided to normally hold the shafts in a position thatthe brake shoes 35' are out of contact with the side rails of the'traok. The

foot pedal 37 is connected with arms on shafts 34 to permit theoperatortoturn the shafts against the tension of springs 36 and bring the brake shoes into frictional bearing against the outer sides of the rail of'the track; 1 j f In the use of my invention current is supplied from generator 10 tothewires 8 and 9 and when the switch 32 is closed the propellor 23 is revolved. The brakes are released and the propeller moves the car. forward upon rollers 13 and 14. As speed of twenty-' five or thirty miles an hour is attained the planes 16 will take the weight of the machine from the wheels travelling on, the track, the planes actingalso to stabilize and give lateral support to the car. By turning hand wheel 22 the operator rocks the motor to swing the propellor so that its turn ing axis is angularly above or below the horizontal and in thisway the car is maintained in proper proximity, between four Y and ten inches above the track. Spring'33 "acts to hold the trolley housing in a proper elevation and the housing and wheels 28 and 29 aid in maintaining the proper position of the car. 'The speed of travelcan be-regu lated'through the motor and as the speed is out downto below that at which the planes 16 sustain the loadthe weight of the ma-- 'chine willagain ease down upon wheels 13 and 14. Thebrake structure 'can-bemanumentof thecar. I v

While, in the foregoing, I' have described specific embodiments, and have mentioned only certain possible modifications," it will be appreciated that in practice I do not limit myself to such specific details as herein set forth, but may resort to any practical modi 'fications falling within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I I claim: Y x

L 1. A mono-track; trolley plane with a track hevil g an electric-circuitar control and stop" rnoveranged therewith, a car having supporting planes and adapted to travel upon and'at an elevation above said'trac'k, a propeller, and an electric motor receiving current from the circuit" wires of the track bywhich said propeller is turned. H

2. A with a track having an ei'ectric circuit arranged therewith, a car having supporting planes and adapted to travel upon and at an elevation above said track, propeller, an electric motor receiving currentfrom the cir cuit wires. of the track'by which said promono-track trolley plane including peller'is turned, and means to shift said propeller to turnon an axis angularly above and below a horizontal line. V

3. A mono-track trolley plane including 'with a trackhaving trolley wires extending throughout the length thereofand receiving,

' electric current from asuitable source,-a car havin lanes associated therewith )rovided witlra longitudinal groove to receive the track, a trolley structure carried by said car.

and having shoes engaging'with the trolley 7 supportingplanes and adapted to travel upon and at an elevation-above said track, an electric motor mounted on the car, a trolley in contact'with said trolley wires andhaving circuit wires leading to said motor, an aerial propeller mounted on the motor shaftto 'im part movement to'said car to carry the same along the track, and a brake mounted on the car engageable withsaid track to control thespeed'and to stop travelof said oar.

5 A mono-track trolley plane including with-a track having'trolley' wires extending throughout the length thereof, oar having supporting planes and adapted to'travel upon anda-t an elevationabove said track, an she I trio motor mounted on the came a trolley in contact with said trolley wires andhaving clrcult wlres leading to said motor, anaerial propeller mounted on the motorsh aft to 1111- partmovement to said car to carrythe saine along the track, means to shift said propeller-' to turn on anja-nis' angularly above and'belo'w' a horizontal line, and'a brake: mounted on the car engageable with said track to control the speed and to sto'pjtravel ofsaid car.

.6. A {-mo'no-tracktrolley plane including i I with a track compris'ingja pair of spaced side bars havlng trolleywires extendlng'throughout the length of their inner faces and receiving electric current from" a suitable source, a 'cargrooved longitud nally to "fit upon, end

overhang at each side 'of sfaid track, wheels by which said car is supported upon the track for movement along the length thereof, planes extending laterally at the sides of the car, a trolley carried by the car and in contact with the wires of said track, a motor mounted on the car and having circuit wires from said trolley connected therewith, and a propeller mounted on the motor shaft. I

7. A mono-track trolley plane including with a track comprising a pair of spaced side bars having trolley wires'extending throughout the length of their inner faces and receiving electric current from a suitable source, a car grooved longitudinally to fit-upon and overhang at each side of said track, wheels by which said car issupported upon the track for movement along the length thereof, planes extending laterally at the sides of the car, a trolley carried by the car and in contact with the wires of said track, a motor mounted on the car and having circuit wires from said trolley connected therewith, a propeller mounted on the motor shaft, and means to rock said motor to swing the propeller to turn on an axis angularly above and below a horizontal line.

8. A mono-track trolley plane including with a track comprising a pair of spaced side bars, plates mounted on the upper edges of said side bars to overhang on the inner sides thereof and spaced to provide a trolley slot, trolley wires mounted on'the inner side of each of said side bars and connected with a suitable electric current supply, a car having.

a longitudinal groove mounted upon said track to overhang on each side thereof, hearing rollers on said car spaced to travel on the side bars of said track to support the weight thereof and leaving the car free to rise above the track, planes extending outwardly at the sides of the car, an electric motor given swinging mounting within the car with its shaft disposed horizontally, an aerial. propeller mounted on the .motor shaft, means to rock the motor to shift said propeller to turn on an axis angularly above and below a horizontal line, a bearing sleeve mounted cen trally Within the car, a trolley housing received slidably through said bearing sleeve and extending through the trolley slot of the track, trolley shoes carried by said trolley housing in sliding contact with the trolley wires, circuit connections from said trolley shoes to the motor, and roller carried by said trolley housing in bearing engagement with the under the track.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ELIAS HARRY PALMER.

sides of the overhanglng plates of 

